12 Epic Things To Do In Auckland This Weekend

It's another stellar weekend in good old Tāmaki Makaurau, and with December knocking at the door, would it be rude to say it's starting to feel.... a little Christmasy?

Here are 12 epic things to do this Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and all weekend.

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Friday 28 November

Come Celebrate Pici's 5th Birthday

Various Bookings | Pici | $$-$$$

Image credit: Pici | Vicki Young 

Pici are celebrating five years of delicious pasta and natural wines on Karangahape Road this Friday at Pici Wine Bar. With magnums pouring and DJs on deck, join them in celebrating the five years (and here’s to many more). Happy Birthday, Pici! - Vicki Young

Get Down To A 24 Hour DJ Set Raising Money For Movember

12pm Friday-12pm Saturday | Queen's Rooftop

Image credit: Queens Rooftop | Supplied

Head to Queens Rooftop for the last week of Movember, a month of raising awareness on men’s health in November. From 12pm Friday to Saturday, DJ Tim Richards will be spinning the decks non-stop for 24 hours, raising $10,000 to support men’s mental health, suicide prevention, and prostate and testicular cancer for Movember. Get your Saturday brekkie boogie on with a side of Allpress coffee, Morning Made matcha and a Bloody Mary Cart, plus a set menu with granola and bacon butties. Donate over on DJ Tim Richards’ Mo Space. - Vicki Young

Saturday 29 November

Attend An Epic Street Fest

From 5pm | Karangahape Road | $$$

Image credit: The Others Way | Facebook

Simply nothin' better than a good street festy (particularly when the festy in question is on the mighty K' Road). The Others Way is back this Saturday for a smorgasbord of fine, fine acts, including headliners Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory,  Conna Mockasin, Georgia Knight and many, many more. All ages areas and an R18 mosh ready for wee self to go boogie in.

Get Your Mind Bent At This Electro Experience

From 6.30pm | The Outer Fields, Western Springs | $$$

Image credit: RÜFÜS DU SOL | Instagram

The most mind-bending, dimension-transcending electro experience known to humankind—RÜFÜS DU SOL—will light up the expansive Outer Fields of Western Springs this weekend. The Australian purveyors of electronic music-meets-legendary-lights-extravaganza-times-unholy-soundscapes are just too good not to go see, listen to, and embrace.

Sunday 30 November

Start Your Sundays With This Epic Lebanese Breakfast Menu

10.30am-2pm | Lebanese Grocer | $

Image credit: Za’atar Bakehouse | Vicki Young 

Starting this Sunday, the Lebanese Grocer is offering their Lebanese breakfast menu (from 10am-2pm). Weekends are for Lebanese coffee and manoushe-inspired breakfast offerings—flatbreads filled with spiced meats and gooey cheese, piping hot and fresh out of the oven, with the toasty smell of za’atar (which, side note, is made from a family recipe using oregano grown and sun-dried at his parents’ very own garden in Pōneke). If you’ve missed their Za’atar Bakehouse pop-up on Saturdays, then take this as a sign to make this your next Sunday breakfast ritual.

Find All Your Christmas Wares

10am-2pm | The Sapphire Room, Ponsonby Central | Free Admission

Pons Central is putting on an Xmas market with NZ-designed homewares, fashion, jewellery, skincare, toys and just about everything else on offer in their Sapphire room. Once you're finished, cruise through the many eateries below.

Witness A City Christmas Classic

From 1pm | Queen Street | Free

Image credit: Farmers Santa Parade | Website

Quite possibly the merriest day of the year besides the big day itself, Farmers Santa Parade is as quintessential to the Kiwi summer calendar as chips and onion dip. This Sunday, from 1pm, the 92nd edition of this beloved day out will be taking place, with grand floats, lively marching bands, treasured characters, dazzling costumes, and The Enchanted Woodland float, a whimsical fairytale scene of mushroom houses, butterflies, and woodland creatures. AND a special trans-Tasman appearance from everyone's favourite Blue Heeler...

Check Out This Global Hip Hop Icon

From 8pm | Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall | $$

Image credit: Loyle Carner | Facebook

One of the true dons of the game in a beautiful venue for under $100. I don't think there's too much more to say than thank you, Loyle Carner, for gracing our shores with your sultry, smooth musical genius.

Get Amongst The Football Frenzy

From 3pm | Go Media Stadium | $-$$

Image credit: Auckland FC | Supplied

The next two weekends herald home games for the city's favourite football club. Auckland FC will be taking on the Newcastle Jets this Sunday, at a whanau-friendly 3pm. Then next Saturday, December 6, it’s the big one, the clash of the cities, the wise old man versus the up-and-comer, the upstart versus the status quo—it's the return of the Wellington Phoenix for derby day. Both are perfect chances to have an outing with the crew, get the little ones down there early to enjoy the inflatable slide, face painting, mini football and for the Newcastle Jets game, to meet Father Christmas and his elves. Oh, and of course, the already beloved tailgate—BYO sossies and jump on one of the many free BBQs before firing up for the game itself.

All Weekend

Follow The Yellow Brick Road To This Youth Theatre Gem

Various Showings | Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre | $$

Image credit: NYT | Website

National Youth Theatre's yellow-brick whirlwind touches down for three nights only at the end of this week. Dorothy, Toto, and the gang in technicolour glory, with Kiwi flair and a live orchestra. Click your heels thrice to grab tickets... or click this link.

Check Out Another City Christmas Classic

All Month | Aotea Square | Free

Another classic for the Kiwi Christmas calendar (in the big smoke) has to be Christmas in Aotea Square. For most of the month, the square transforms into an extravaganza of holiday cheer, where you and the whanau can get down and enjoy it for free. All the info here.

Attend A Secret Housewarming Rager

From 12pm | Secret Venue | Free

If you didn't already know, IKEA is coming to town. Yes, that's a fact, and before they throw open their big blue doors on 4 December, they're first throwing three secret Kiwi housewarming
parties across Auckland. In collab with UK pop-up party innovators, Lab54, it's three parties, three secret locations, celebrating three different aspects of Kiwi life, namely a house party, garage party and beach party. And it's free. How good.

All that weekend planning left you hangry? Check out The Feed.

Mainj image credit: IKEA x Lab54 | Supplied

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